 | Is whatever material
you are sending cleanly typed and legible? Never send handwritten material
or anything in a typeface or size which would make it difficult for the
recipient to read it. |
| For most work, submit it in a standard form, which is double-spaced
and printed on one side of the paper only. |
| Don't send it to an agent or publisher as an email attachment. unless specifically asked to
do so. Publishers and agents will not want to have to print out a
whole manuscript. |
| It may sound obvious, but don’t send anything which looks
tired or tatty – print it out or get it photocopied again to present
it at its best, so it doesn't look as if it's already done the rounds. For
more advice on preparing typescripts and
our
Manuscript
typing service. |
| Send an
outline and two or three chapters, not the whole manuscript. Any interested
publisher or agent will ask you to send the whole manuscript anyway. |
| If you're not sure whether you've got your submission package in
good shape, our Submission
Critique Service has recently been set up to help with this. |
| Our new page Your submission package
shows you how to put yours together. |
| Read through what you are sending carefully and try to make it as
literate as possible, or get it copy-edited (see our Copy-editing
service). Some successful authors can’t spell, but it’s very off-putting to try to read an
illiterate manuscript and you need to be successful before you can get
away with turning in something which is sub-standard. |
| Always try to send your manuscript to a named editor or agent
(check our UK and US agent listings), rather than just to the publishing
house or agency. |
| Always send return postage, preferably in the form of a stamped,
addressed envelope or jiffy bag, or an international money order, if you
want your material back. |
| Remember that the person on the other end is probably an assistant
with a giant pile of manuscripts to get through. They will be short of time, but genuinely pleased to discover
something worthwhile in the slush-pile. Try to write an
attention-grabbing (but not too long) submission
letter and present yourself and your material as well as you can. |
